Paul Grant and Dean Murdoch photos.

Photo gallerys presented by RAD Torque Systems will be posted Tuesday.

The potential for one of the best premier event of the year at MRP was the victim of rain on Sunday, after a fantastic Saturday.

In short, the jet dragsters Volcano and rocked, especially under the lights in run #2 (Chuck Haynes left before the tree was activated in his first run), setting the BC record, with a great 5.13/311.41 mph blast.

In the afternoon run, Kurt White went 5.80 @ 270 mph while it looked like Chuck had him covered by a huge margin the fact he rolled through the beams before the tree was activated kept what was likely the first 300 mph blast. In the second one he made no mistake, blasting an out of the province 5.13 311 while Kurt went 5.78@279 mph.

What do I like better the jet Funny Cars or the Jet Dragster? Well I like them both, and I have a buddy, Derek Snelson driving a flopper, but if I was a track operator, I would pick the dragster, simply because when the crowd saw that 300+ come up on the board they went wild. I am a speed freak as well, and the dragters just do it for me.

An added bonus for the fans and unadvertised was the MR Explosive Nitro Funny Car, coming out and putting on a great show as well. Mark Sanders with young gun tuner Jake "the Snake" Sander calling the shots put down to awesome laps. After blazing the tires on his first laps, Jake made a few adjustments and the old man turned uin a great 6 flat at just over 239mph. In run #2, Mark threw down his quickest ever lap, a great 5.96@239.80 to give the local (ya they are from Washington state but they call this their home track) team a real shot in the arm, heading down to the California Hot Rod reunion in a months time.

Another Washington state driver, Marshall Dawson in a Firebird Pro Mod was out getting licensed as well.

 

The Wheelstanders put on a great show both in the afternoon session and under the lights. Local rookie, Mike "Nitro" Kunz was easily equal to the task on his two laps copared to what Rick Marcum laid down, as Mike after perhaps first run jitters where he was basically business like, making a half track squirt and then coming back and going 13 seconds at 88 mph then going to the end of the track to be picked up by his crew. Marcum and the legendary Ed "The Outlaw" Jones both made it theirs a six or seven minute performance to the delight of the fans, particilarly Jones who has a very quick wheelstanding stage coach, and fire shooting out of his headers. Throwing out Jelly Belly candies (his sponsor) to the kids (and big kids) is a huge hit as well. On the second lap, Under full darkness, they (particularly Jones) really put on a show throwing the flames out and ripping down the track at over 100mph. Marcum was the slowest of the three, going 14 second at 85 mph. Jones and Marcum were side by side on both runs and both went around 1500 feet. in run #2. Kunz just prior to them on his second lap, had a conversation with yours truly and I said to him, " remember the wheeslstanding gig is not real racing and it is about the show, so lay down a long run and then come on back for a short wheestanding squirt and perform for the spectators back at the starting line, instead of going back down to the end of the track". He did exactly what we talked about, and laid down the longest rear wheel run I have seen, around 1700 feet and came back to the delight of the crowd. The long time pros have nothing on the Kunz, Murphy and Grocock in the "Wheelie Fun" Cameo pickup.

The Pro Street series CPSA, proved that the National Open was no fluke as the great turnout of cars (for the second time) made their group one to watch, and two of the top hitters were not there (Brian Lane and Jay Syvertsen).

The first round of qualifying looked very promising as Mark Wolfe in the very bad twin turboed Thunderbird laid down a 6.70. Garrett Richards did the same, Rash Dhaliwal went 6.80 and Don Murray along with Lyle Kennedy were both in the low sevens. The second session saw bad news from Richards as he was unable to make any more laps.

He lifted the heads of his pickup and was done for the weekend. Frank Tamez in his monster engined (825 in) Mustang was getting closer to getting the behemoth off the starting line, Wolfe repeated, Dhaliwal found a couple hun, Don Murray went his fastest ever, a great 214 mph lap initiated by a 6.93, Kennedy repeated, Keith Korecki was still sorting out his Shelby and Ken Sihota added nitrous for the first time was was sorting that deal out. The evening session was stellar, as Tamez ripped off a career best 6.66@210mph, Dale Peterson laid down a great 7.11 (also a career best ) at a oh so close 198 mph. And Ken Sihota went 7.65@194.

 

 

The Open Comp class was a little light this weekend as was the 10.5 Outlaw class, but the CPSA seems to be like the CMDRA group, where it is the big dogs (Top Fuel Harleys) or nothing.

Unfortunately the rain prevented any more improvement Sunday morning for their final qualifier. I havre not heard if they will try and make up a rain date in two weeks or at the end of the month.

Qualifying after Saturday

Frank Tamez '07 Mustang 813 (all motor) Sonnys Hemi Ford 6.666/210.13
Mark Wolfe '94 T-bird twin turbo 419 SB Ford 6.710/214.84
Rash Dhaliwal '01 Mustang Procharger 417 SB Ford 6.782/192.51
Garret Richards '06 Siverado pu blown 450 Chev 6.790/199.91
Don Murray '63 Vette sngl turbo 526 BBC 6.936/214.03
Dale Pedersen, '83 Buick twin turbo 414 SBC 7.110/198.36
Lyle Kennedy, '95 Monte Carlo blown 540 BBC, 7.192/193.21
Keith Korecki, '67 Shelby Mustang nitrous 714 Ford 7.258/192.92
Ken Sihota '00 Firebird nitrous 615 BBC 7.652/194.30

Canada West Doorslammers

 

Jim's Automotive presented the CWDS event this past weekend at Mission Raceway.

For the first time in the last few events were was a big challenge to Terry Spargo's reign at the top of the qualifying heap. Barry Daniluck debuted his all new Jerry Bickel built 5868 Camaro with a huge Ron Miller 820 cu in Wedge powerplant between the frame rails. A couple testing laps a week ago in Missouri, were the only laps in the car prior to his first lap down the track Saturday. His first run was a great 6.781/203.57 that put him at the top.

Spargo shook and struggled just off the line in his first lap, he peddled it and ran a respectable 7.60/199. Not what the et champ wanted. In round two, Daniluk improved by a hundredth to a 6.771/202.79. Spargo lined up against him for their first ever side by side and it was the quickest side by side Canada West Doorslammer run ever. Spargo went 6.804 at 205.15 for top speed of qualifying so far. In the final qualifier, Spargo improved by a hundredth (I would have that with the great air at 7:30pm that he would have been in the low 70's) to a 6.798/203.98.

Daniluk continued to inch quicker, this time a solid 6.756/203.52. He has et bragging rights but as most would say the mph is the true gauge of hp, and Spargo held a slim edge with his previous 205+lap. Unfortunately like the other classes they did not get down the track Sunday due to the weather, so in two weeks the battle lines will extend as a double header is in the works.

22 cars made qualifying attempts and 20 are in the field so far.

Field so far

1 Barry Daniluk
2 Terry Spargo
3 Greg Anderson
4 Mike Bedsworth
5 Dean Woods
6 Brian Kikel
7 Terry Shuflita
8 Grant Klohn
9 Grant Howell
10 Layne Wooley
11 Kevin Lance
12 Rob Charlton
13 Dave Richardson
14 Dave Warren
15 Glen Norman
16 Terry Langdon Davies
17 Ken Kruger
18 Zak Clarke
19 Tom Montgomery
20 Randy Arlitt

Not Qualifed

21 Cody Liwiski
22 Shane Wangler